Although of general application, this invention is most particularly concerned with clutches for boat drives such as the inboard-outboard type in which an outboard drive unit is driven by an inboard engine. The invention is so described herein.
Such marine drive units have made use of various types of dog and friction clutches. Friction clutches of the cone type are popular and are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,212,349; 3,269,497; 3,915,270 and in application Ser. No. 598,313 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,503.
The clutches normally include input and output shafts, one of which carries a pair of spaced forward and reverse gears and a clutching mechanism for selectively engaging one or the other of the gears. The other shaft carries a gear coupled with both of the gears on the first shaft. The clutching mechanism is ordinarily axially movable between the paired forward and reverse gears for establishing the desired clutching engagement.
Such reversing clutches require a shifting control mechanism capable of effecting clutching engagement with little effort since remote operation of the clutch through a cable system is typically used. Also, the axial displacement ordinarily required of the clutching mechanism is relatively slight and the shifting mechanism must be capable of accurately controlling small movements.
It is the general purpose of this invention to provide such an arrangement.